Closure for containers



1931- E. c. VAN VALKENBURG 1,336,561

CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS Filed July 2, 1929 INVENTOR .591?!- (1 Kw MAKENEURG ATTORNEYS,

Patented Dec. 15, 1931 UNITED STATES EARL VAN VALKENIBURG, F BABYLON, NEW YORK CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS Application filed m 2,

This invention relates to container closures and its object is to provide a closure which shall be eflicient in use, simple in construction and adapted to be manufactured at low cost.

I am aware of the fact that a number of different forms of closures have been proposed but none of these, whether in commercial use or made the subject matter ofpatents, sufliciently fulfill the requirements for a successful commercial article.

A great variety of substances are put up in collapsible tubes, these substances being of a more or less creamy-or pasty nature and, therefore one of the requirements of a successful closure for these tubes is its ability to close the opening with suificienttightness to prevent the paste drying around the opening and clogging it.

Anothercondition is the ease with which the tube may be opened and closed while held in one hand.

Another essential is that the tube closure must cut off the portion of the tube contents desired to be used, in such a manner as not to smear the opening to any substantial de ee.

15 is also desirable that the tube closure present a neat appearance and conform fairly so closely to the shape of the neck of the tube without undue projections or protuberances.

The invention is not limited to collapsible tubes containing pasty substances but is adapted to other containers as well.

Further features and advantages will appear from a consideration of the following specification and claims when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved device in closed position;

Figure 2 is a similar view in open position;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4: is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 3' and Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the device in an operative position.

Referring to the drawings l'indicates a container which may be made of different 1929. Serial No. 375,537.

materials and of different sizes and shapes, although in the commercial form in which my invention is shown the tube is made of collapsible material, such tubes usually containing pasty or creamy substances such as shaving cream, tooth paste, oil paints, cold cream and the like. Y My improved closure may be made as a part of the container or as a separate unit which may be screw-threaded to the container. It comprises a body portion 2 with an opening therethrough and a cap 3. This body portion is arcuate in cross section from a point adjacent the container to a point just beyond the opening, forming a curved top or upper face. Grooves 4 are formed in each lateral face of the body portion, these grooves being on the outside where they do not come in contact with the contents of the tube and they are curved to conform to the curve of the upper face. Tongues 5 project inwardly from the cap 3 and engage the grooves so that the cap may be easily slid from the position shown in Figure 1 tothe position shown in Figure 2. The manner in which the closure is manipulated with the thumb of one hand is shown in Figure 5. It will be noted from this figure and also from Figure 2 that when the cap is in position to expose the opening in the body portion the lower end of the can abuts the container which then acts as a stop to limit the opening movement. For the purpose of limiting the cap in its closing movement the grooves 4 are closed at the point 6 by bending over or upsetting the metal a little at the end of the grooves or channels so' that the cap is thereby blocked in the direction of its closing movement. The body portion 2 may be made of metal and the cap is preferably made of inert organic moldable material such as celluloid, bakelite or similar substances.

In order that the tube contents may be cut off and easily detached from the portion re.- maining in the tube the cap has a cutting edge shown at 7 in Figure 4, which edge in closed position of the cap slightly overlaps the face 8 of the body portion. This face 8 is also preferably cut away so that its upper edge approaches close to the opening, there being only suflicient metal left near this opening to give the required strength. This cutting away of the face 8, together with the provision of a slight overhang of the cutting ed e of the cap, causes a clear cut-ofl and a detac ment of the cut off portion even when the tube is held in a nearly upright position, for instance in a position at about a right angle from that shown in Figure 5.

The top of the cap is roughened a little as shown-at 9, so that it may be convenientl moved by frictional contact with the thum of the user.

It will also be noted by reference to Figure 3 that the lateral faces 10 of the cap are flush with the lateral faces of the body portion so that the closure not only presents a neat appearance but occupies very small space and there are no projections to get in the way and to which'thetube contents may stick.

. What is claimed as new is:

1. A closure for collapsible tubes, said closure having a body portion with an opening therein for communciating with the tube and being cut back on its front face to a point adj acent the said opening, and a cap movable on thebody portion and havin an edge for cutting off a portion of the tube contents, said edge extending slightly beyond the plane of said front face of the body portion when the cap is in closed position, whereby a cut-off portion of the tube contents is more readily freed from the closure.

2. A closure for collapsible tubes, said closure having a body portion with an opening for communicating with the tube, said body portion also having lateral faces and an upper face, the upper face being curved for a portion of its extent including the opening but cut away beyond the opening, curved to fit the curved portion and having an edge for cutting off portions of the tube contents, said edge extending beyond the cutaway portion when the cap is-in closed position.

3. A closure for collapsible tubes, said closure having a body portion with an opening communicating with the tube, said body portion also having lateral faces and an upper face curved for a portion of its extent,

grooves in the body portion extending adjacent the curved portion thereof, a cap fitting the curved portion, means onthe cap to engage the grooves, said grooves bein terminated so as to block the cap in the irection of closing movement, said cap being blocked Y inbopen position by engagement with the tu e.

4. A closure for a container, said closure having a body portion grooved at each side and having an opening therethrou h, and a slide adapted to form a substantiafiy tight closure over said opening and means on the slide to engage in said grooves, and cooperating therewith to permit movement of the slide over or away from the opening and prevent the slide from falling away from said container, the container acting as a stop for the slide inone direction of its movement, the grooves permitting the insertion of the slide in one direction and the edges of'the grooves being bent over after the slide is in place so as to prevent its removal in the other direction.

Signed at New York, N. Y., this first day of July, 1929.

EARL C. VAN VALKENBURG.

and a cap 

